Automatic selection device



June 1936- J. w. ARMBRUSTER AUTOMATIC SELECTION DEVICE Filed Oct. 1,

1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

J1me 1935- J. w. ARMBRUSTER AUTOMATIC SELECTION DEVICE- Filed Oct 1, 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. 144 W Patented June 16, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application October 1,

12 Claims.

The following specification in connection with the drawings accompanying the same furnish a full, clear, and exact description of the invention.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved form of automatic selection device.

Another object is to provide automatic means for tuning a radio receiving device to receive signals from a selected broadcasting station and then later at a predetermined time automatically cut off said signals.

The automatic tuning or changing of selection from one station to another is also an object of this invention.

A further object is the automatic changing from the reception of one broadcasting program to another at regular intervals of time.

A portion of this invention deals with the shutting off of the current while change of selection from one static-n to another is being made.

Another novel idea disclosed in this invention is the lessening of the current flowing through the l radio receiver during the change of selection.

A means for exhibiting or indicating radio stations that have been selected for subsequent tuning is also disclosed in this application.

Other objects will be apparent as this description continues and the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings is fully explained.

The invention is applied to a radio control device which, under control of a clock, automatically turns a radio timing dial from a position in which one station is received into a position wherein another station may be heard. The devices are capable of changing the tuning every quarter of an hour, which is the period of time commonly used for change of broadcasting programs. The settings of the changes in tuning for a six hour period may be made at one time. Adjustments are made possible so that the device may adapt itself to operate all kinds of radio sets despite differ ences in dial calibrations.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a combination television and sound radio receiver to which the present invention has been applied.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a radio receiver showing the device of the present invention extending from the front thereof.

3 is a rear elevation showing the traveling selection carriage and the release key for the carriage. In this view there is also shown in partial section the selection plate and selection pawls.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the carriage release and adjustment key.

1930, Serial No. 485,625

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the selection carriage and selection plate.

Fig. 6 is a section through the selection carriage along line 66 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a rear elevation showing the actuating mechanism for the selection devices.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a form of rheostat.

In Fig. 2 is shown the embodiment of the present invention as the detailed views in Figs. 3-8 specifically show the same. It is noted that in Fig. 2 the cabinet 20 is provided with an extending case 2| through which the tuning shaft (not shown) extends and terminates in a manual tuning knob 22. This knob may be adjusted in the usual fashion to rotate the tuning dial 23 and thus adjust the condenser or variometer in the radio receiver to tune the same into a condition adapting it to receive signals from any broadcasting station. The side of the case 2| is apertured at 24 to disclose a plate or panel 25 in which there is a plurality of selecting openings 26. These holes, it is seen, are arranged in vertical and horizontal alignment, the horizontal alignment of each row being in line with the station designation marked on the case 2|. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the stations WEAF, WJZ, etc., appear.

Above the plate 25 is inscribed a scale ranging from 6 to 12. This scale also has an alternate range of numerals from 12 to 1 etc. on to 6. The space between two successive numerals is divided into four parts and each of these four parts marks the top of a vertical column of holes 26. This scale is for the purpose of designating the time to which the selection devices to be described hereinafter may be set in order to perform automatic selection of the radio stations. A key 21 is provided to adjust the selection devices to any particular point along the time scale, after which the selection is automatic under control of the clock 28. A resetting lever 29 is adapted to reset the selec-' tion pawls (not shown in Fig. 2) which are located behind the holes 26.

The radio receiver in which the present invention is installed, as shown in Fig. 1, is of a difierent type than that shown in Fig. 2. This receiver, Fig. 1, is provided with a television screen 30 and loud speaker 3|. It is contemplated that the sound reception will be governed by the knob 32 and dial 33 and the sight reception by knob 34 and dial 35. In order to adapt the selection mechanism shown in Fig. 2 to fit behind the panel 36, Fig. 1, so that it will appear as shown in Fig. 1, it is contemplated that certain of the operating shafts will have beveled gear connections to the tuning actuators or any other devices which may need such connections.

The shaft 31, Fig. 3, it is contemplated, will be driven with a uniform period of rotation by some form of clock mechanism. This clock mechanism has not been shown as devices of this nature are old. The clock may be of the form wound by hand or of the form electrically wound, as shown in Patent 1,353,935 to Nelson, or of the electricaliy driven type known as Telechron, a form of which is discussed in the patent to Henry E. Warren 1,529,381. As used in this disclosure, the shaft 31 is assumed to have one rotation per minute. The hand 38, shown in Fig. 3, is a minute hand having one revolution per minute. However, any regular periodic rotation of 31 could be used and the selection devices cooperating therewith designed accordingly. The shaft 31 is threaded, there being fifteen threads to each space on the time scale marked on the casing 2| shown in Fig. 2, that is, sixty threads being on the shaft between the distance marked by the numerals 6 and '7 for example. The shaft is so threaded in order to make adjustment of the device by the release key 21 easier. There being a thread for each minute as represented on the scale, adjustment can be made to a fine degree. The adjustment key 21, Fig. 3, is provided with a shank 35 that is pivoted at 40 in the carriage frame 4|. This key fits in slots in the ears extending from the carriage frame 4| and is guided thereby laterally. The shank 39 is provided with a partial nut 42, Figs. 3 and 4, which has a tapped portion 43 which engages the lower portion of the threaded periphery of shaft 31. By this connection, frame 4| is moved laterally with a uniform motion as shaft 31 rotates under control of the clock mechanism. The key shank 35 is normally held in its upper position with nut 42 engaging shaft 31 by means of a compression spring 44. The shank is also located by means of an embossing 45 on its side engaging in a recess in the side of the upstanding ear on carriage frame 4|. Another recess 46 is provided for holding the key in released position with nut 42 out of cooperation with shaft 31 when lateral adjustment of the carriage frame 4| is desired. A pointer 41 is mounted on the key shank 39 for the purpose of cooperating with the time scale shown in Fig. 2.

Carriage frame 4| is mounted on shafts 48, 49, and 50, and is adapted for lateral movement along the length of these shafts. The side of the frame 4| is provided with a clove tailed channel 5|, Figs. 3 and 5, which runs down the entire length of the side of the frame. Mounted in this dove tailed slot is a selection actuating rack 52. The body of this rack fits into the dove tailed slot and is provided with extending arm 53 which reaches around the frame 4| in the form of U and on its side is provided with rack teeth 54. These rack teeth mesh with a gear 55 mounted on a bushing which is held on frame 4| but adapted for rotation therein and also for sliding movement along a square shaft 50. The rack slide 52 is given a reciprocating movement at regular intervals by means of devices which drive shaft 5ll. These devices will be described hereinafter. Attache-d at the lower end of slide 52 is a spring 56 which, at its upper end, is connected to the dove tailed portion of a selection finger 51. This selection finger or selector is a slide and is adapted to reciprocate in the same dove tailed slot 5|. The selection finger is provided with two extensions, one 58, which is in the form of a flipper which cooperates with selection pawls that are set up on the selection plate, and the other is an arm 59 which extends from the body of member 5? in the form of an L into cooperation with the tuning devices.

The plate and means carried thereby for setting up the selections will now be described. The plate 25 is provided at its two ends with a plurality of holes 65 arranged in a vertical row. Channel members 6| are attached to the plate 25 by means of eccentric screws 62 passing through the channels and through one of the holes 60 in plate 25. There is a screw 62 on each side of the channel 6|. Thus, it is clear that the channel 6| may be secured to plate 25 at various heights, according to which pair of holes 60 is used to locate the channel. Once the channel is located at a particular point on plate 25, further adjustment may be made by means of eccentric screws 62 which may be turned to raise or lower the channel 5|. The channel 5| is slotted horizontally (not shown) to receive the eccentric portion of screw 62. A washer 63 is riveted at the end of the trunnion of screw 62 and thus frictionally holds the same against plate 25. The channel 6| is provided at its ends with ears 64 which carry a rod Fig. 5, upon which selection pawls 66 are mounted. These pawls are frictionally held by means of fibre washers 61 in operative or inoperative position. As shown in Fig. 3, all of the pawls except one are shown in inoperative position. The pawl may be lowered into operative position by in serting a pencil or other pointed object into hole 26 in plate 25 and engaging the arm 68 of the pawl, pushing it down into operative position. When the pawl is in its normal position, the right hand extension, Fig. 3, of the pawl contacts with the upper leg of the channel. When the pawl is lowered into operative position the arm 68 on the pawl cooperates with the lower side of the upper leg of the channel. When the pawl is in its inoperative position the arm 68 is closer to the aperture 26 in plate 25 than when the pawl is lowered, thus affording a means of exhibiting or indicating from the exterior plate 25 just which pawls have been selected. This is noticeable since the radio tubes illuminate the interior of the cabinet and thereby light up an unobscured hole 25 more than an obscured one. When the selection finger 5? is lowered, the flipper 58 will engage whichever pawl 66 happens to be in its path, thus stopping the selection finger 51 at any point along the line of its travel in a downward direction. On the upward movement of the finger 5?, flipper 58 is adapted to yield if it comes into contact with the one side of any pawl in operative position. This is accomplished by means of pivoting the flipper 58 to finger 5'! at 653 and providing the same with a stop shoulder Til on its lower side to engage the one side of the extension of finger 57. It is contemplated that a small leaf spring (not shown) will hold the flipper 58 in its raised position with the shoulder '50 contacting the extension of finger 5'5. The other 59 of finger 51 cooperates with a stud 1| mounted on a metallic band or belt '12 which extends between a wheel 3 on shaft 48 and a wheel "M on shaft 49. These two wheels are rotatably secured to the carriage frame 4| by means of a bushing 15 such as that shown in Fig. 5. bushing is riveted into the wheels and is prc- This vided with a washer 15 which spaces the shoulder of the bushing so that a running fit is provided between the bushing and the carriage. The belt 12 is provided with apertures (not shown) which are adapted to cooperate with extending teeth 11 provided on the wheel 14 for the purpose of preventing slipping of the belt on this wheel. The wheel 14 being keyed to the square shaft 49 turns the shaft to various extents under control of the selection finger and selection pawls. The turning of this shaft 49 changes the tuning of the radio receiver and brings it into tuned relation with whichever station is selected. The shaft 49 at its outer end is connected to the manual adjustment knob 22, Fig. 2. Thus, it is clear that the same effect performed by adjusting 22 manually to bring the dial 23 into tuned relation with one or the other stations will also be performed by means of the automatic selecting mechanism disclosed in Figs. 3-7. A spring 18 extends between a stud 19 mounted on carriage frame 4| and a stud 89 secured to the belt 12. This spring holds the tuning shaft 49 in an adjusted position and also serves to bring the belt around so that stu-d 1I follows finger 59 when a change of tuning takes place. It is to be noted that the position of the parts as shown in Fig. 3 is not the normal position. The parts there are shown in midoperation.

The space between two adjacent pawls 66 is equal to the lateral movement imparted to the carriage 4| and finger 51 by the rotation of shaft 31 over a fifteen minute period. Therefore, at the end of the fifteen minute period, the finger 51 is ready to come under the control of the vertical column of pawls 56 adjacent to the pawl with which it has been in contact.

Upon a study of the mechanism, it will be noted that spring 18 would ordinarily tend to rotate the shaft 49 into normal position or into a position to contact the finger 59 in whatever position this finger may stand. This would prevent manual adjustment of the tuning if no means was provided to counteract the infiuence of spring 18. To take care of this condition, the lower side of block 42 is provided with a friction segment 8| which is adapted to engage the upper end of the belt 12 as it winds about wheel 13. When the key 21 is depressed into inoperative position, thus disabling the automatic selection devices, the friction segment 8| will engage the belt 12 and thus offer resistance to the movement of the belt, this resistance being of an amount which is enough to counteract the tendency of spring 18 to turn the shaft 49 out of manually adjusted position.

The main frame members 82, Fig. 3, contain slots 83 in which is placed a rod 84 extending across the entire device. This rod lies in the rear of plate 25 and is adapted to cooperate with any pawl 56 which may have been adjusted to operative position. The rod 84, when raised in the slot 84m will contact with the lower end of said pawls and swing them about, restoring them to normal position. A pair of arms 85 is provided to raise and lower the rod 84. An extension 29 of one of these levers 85 extends out of the frame into a position to be manipulated by hand.

An interlock may may provided between key 21 and rod 84 to prevent disconnection of key 21 from shaft 31 until rod 84 is operated to reset the selection pawls. This interlock may be in the form of a latch 39I pivoted at 499 on frame 4| and cooperating with stud 49! on key lever 21, thus normally holding key 21 in a raised position, said latch being tripped by a full upward resetting movement of rod 84. A locking member could then hold the latch in tripped position allowing operation of key 21, upon which operation said member releases the latch to assume its normal position when key 21 is again lifted.

For the purpose of operating the gear 55, Fig. 3, and reciprocating the rack slide 52, the mechanism shown in Fig. 7 is provided. This mechanism serves to raise and lower the selection finger 51 through the rack 52 and thus operate the shaft 49 to change the selection. This operation may be performed at any interval of time. In the present embodiment of the device, it is shown as happening at every interval of fifteen minutes, which is the interval of time that is the shortest period of change of program in the present radio broadcasting practice. As shown in Fig. '1, shaft 31 is provided with a pinion 86 which meshes with a large gear 81. The ratio of gearing between pinion 86 and gear 81 is such that fifteen revolutions of shaft 31 will produce one revolution of gear 81. Mounted on gear 81 is a tripping stud 88 which is in the path of a shoulder 89 on a latch 99. This latch 99 normally engages an extension 9| on a disk 92 pivoted on a stud 93 mounted in one of the side frames 82. This disk is driven by means of a clock spring 94 which may be wound by hand or by means of any of the clock mechanisms above'noted and always tends to rotate the disk 92 in a counterclockwise direction, Fig. 7. Mounted on the side of disk 92 is a stud 95 which cooperates with a slot 96 cut in a reciprocating actuating slide 91, shown mounted on two square studs 98 and 99 in side frame 82. The pin or stud 95 acts as an eccentric during the rotation of disk 92 and thus lowers and raises the slide 91. A spring I99 normally holds the latch 99 in cooperation with the disk 92, thus preventing rotation thereof. However, at every fifteen minute interval, stud 88 will strike the end 89 of the latch, tripping the same and allowing disk 92 to escape and thereby, under actuation of spring 94, turn one revolution and operate slide 91. The side of slide 91 is provided with rack teeth I9! which cooperate with a pinion I92 which is secured at the end of shaft 59. Thus, the reciprocation of slide 91 is transmitted to shaft 59 and by means of gear 55 further transmitted to the slide 52 which controls the selection finger 51.

In Fig. '7 it is noted that a wheel I93 is provided on the shaft 49 and has attached thereto a band I94 which may reach over to another tuning control shaft in the radio receiver for additional control. This control may serve to adjust a tuning dial which is not calibrated in exactly the same fashion as the tuning device attached to shaft 49. This other tuning device may be in the form of a television selection control.

When, during the course of this specification, such terms as tuning, change of tuning, "change of selection, selection, etc., are mentioned, they are not meant to be limited to radio sound receivers. They may apply as Well to selection devices for purposes other than radio selection and tuning and may in one form apply to television tuning for change of scene selection.

Means are also provided in the present device to avoid distortion of sound or scene while changing from one broadcast program to another. This is accomplished by means of shutting off the current of the radio receiver or by lowering said current. Breaking of the current may take place at a point between the wiring of the volume control or at other points in the wiring of the radio receiver. As shown in Fig. 7, the reciprocating slide 91 has an extension I05 which is provided with a knife blade contact finger I06. This finger is insulated from the slide by means of a rubber washer I01. The knife blade I06 extends between two contact members I08 to which are connected the wires I09 and H0 leading from the volume control or supply leads of the power line. It is apparent from the showing in Fig. 7 that when the slide 9! is reciprocated on the first part of its downward movement as a change of selection takes place, the knife blade I06 will move out of contact with the two contacts I08 and thus break the circuit at this point. The circuits will remain broken until the slide is restored to its normal position, at which time the new selection will already have been made.

Another form of the device above noted is shown in Fig. 8. There it is noted that the extension I05 is provided with a wiping contact plate III which is insulated from the extension by means of rubber washer H2. The contact extends around the bottom surface of extension I05, as seen in Fig. 8, and there contacts with the upper side of a wire I I3 which is wound about an insulating bar ||4 which extends vertically in the machine and parallel to slide 91. A circuit is made between the wire II3, contact III, and a wire I I5 leading from the contact I I I. This circuit is maintained as slide 91 is lowered. However, as it does so, the contact plate I I I will move down along bar I M in the position wherein there is a greater length of wire between the two leads of the line which ends in wires I I3 and I I5. Thus, it is clear, that the resistance in this circuit will be increased and the current decreased, thus lowering the volume and the attendant sound generated by the current. The lower end of wire I I3 is merely fastened to the lower part of bar H4 and is insulated from the rest of the machine.

Although it is thought that the operation and construction of this automatic selection device has been made clear by the foregoing description, it is thought that a brief rsum of the operation of this device may be of value. The first step to be taken in the operation of the present device is to operate the arm 29 thus restoring all selection pawls which stand in operative position to normal. The next step is to note the stations desired to be received for entertainment and the time at which this entertainment will start. This information is next transferred to the selection plate 25 by noting the station on the left hand side of the case 2|, Fig. 2, and in alignment with said notation and beneath the time scale at the particular time the entertainment is to start. The pointed instrument or pencil is inserted, rocking the selection pawl beneath said hole. This same operation is carried on across the plate. The time is then noted on the clock 28 and the selection button 21 on the selection carriage is depressed out of cooperative relation with the shaft 31 and is moved along the time scale to the time noted on the clock. The key is then lifted into relationship with shaft 31 and the device is ready to function automatically. The carriage frame 4| will be carried across the plate 25 with a uniform motion, the selection finger being placed in onoperation with the selection pawl standing in its path upon the first reciprocation of frame 4|. The other arm 59 of the selection finger will then hold the shaft 49 in an adjusted position. This condition will maintain until the end of a fifteen minute period, then the device shown in Fig. 7 will function and cause a reciprocation of the selection finger, taking it out of the control of the one selection pawl and placing it into cooperative relationship with a pawl in the column which is toward the later side of the time scale of the selection plate. This operation will be repeated at every regular interval, thus changing from one station to another without any further attention until the end of the period-noted on the time scale when another set up on the selection plate may be made to carry the automatic selecting operation into a new period of broadcast reception.

While the above embodiment is thought to be an admirable form of the invention, it is not intended to limit the present invention to such specific construction. The invention is only to be limited in scope by the claims which now follow:

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a radio receiver, means for automatically operating the tuning devices of the receiver to change selection of stations, means for selecting the stations to be subsequently received, means for resetting said selecting means, a lever operated means for disconnecting said automatic means from the tuning devices, means for manually operating said tuning devices when disconnected from said automatic means, and a latch cooperating with said lever for locking said disconnecting means, and means under control of said resetting means for operating said latch to unlock said disconnecting means when said resetting means is operated.

2. In a device of the class described, a radio receiver, means for automatically tuning said receiver, and devices for operating said automatic tuning means comprising a timing mechanism, selection pawls arranged in columns, a carriage moved with a uniform motion under control of said timing mechanism, actuating devices, and a slide on said carriage adapted to be actuated at intervals by said actuating devices when released by said timing mechanism, said slide thus adapted for cooperation with said selection pawls for tuning by having a uniform movement in one direction and a periodic movement in another direction.

3. In a device of the class described, a radio receiver having a case thereon provided with a time scale and a list of radio stations, a selection plate adjacent said list and scale and provided with a plurality of station selection pawls, said pawls being arranged in rows in alignment with the station designations on the case, and in columns in alignment with the time designations on the case, there being one for each station at each period of time marked on said scale, means for adjusting said pawls into operative position to select desired stations at desired times, a timing mechanism, and means under control of said timing mechanism for automatically tuning said receiver under control of said pawls.

4. In a radio station selection device, a timing mechanism, a threaded shaft rotated under control of said mechanism and having a uniform period of rotation, a carriage driven by the thread on said shaft, a plurality of columns of spaced station selection pawls, a slide on said carriage which is moved to bring the slide into cooperation with column after nnlumn of said pawls, means for moving said slide on said carriage a diiierential amount according to the adjustment of said pawls, and tuning devices operated under control of said slide for automatically changing station selections.

5. In a radio tuning device with timing mechanism, a shaft moved under control of said timing mechanism and having a uniform period of retation, a carriage moved by said shaft, a tuning member, a stationary selection plate supporting stop pawls which when adjusted predetermine the selection of a plurality of radio stations over a period of time, and a slide carried by said carriage and adapted to move differential amounts thereon as limited by cooperation with said adjusted stop pawls, and means under control of said slide for adjusting said tuning member.

6. In a radio station selection device, a clock controlled shaft having a threaded portion thereon, a carriage, a key pivoted to the carriage and provided with a partial nut for engaging said threaded shaft, a selection finger mounted in a slot in said carriage, a slide mounted in said slot and connected to said finger by a spring, gear and rack connections to an eccentric for operating said slide, means for releasing said eccentric at regular intervals, a square shaft connected to a radio tuning member, an adjustable belt secured to a sleeve on said square shaft and movable with said carriage, a selection plate having mounted thereon a plurality of stop pawls, a row of which is provided for each radio station, and a pawl for each interval of time, and means for driving said eccentric to bring a selection finger against a stop pawl, the said finger meanwhile adjusting said belt and connected tuning member to select a radio station.

7. In an automatic program selection device with a timing mechanism, a case with an illuminated interior enclosing said device, a movable program station selector, means under control of said mechanism for adjusting said selector at timed intervals, manipulative pawls settable to control said means to vary the adjustment of said selector to make different station selections at said intervals, and a panel on said case with openings aligned with said pawls and so arranged that when certain pawls are set the corresponding openings are illuminated from the interior.

8. In a time controlled program selection device, an illuminated case having a plurality of apertures arranged in horizontal rows and vertical columns with station and time designations in alignment with said rows and columns, a plurality of program preselecting pawls, means for operating any of said pawls, there being one behind each of said apertures and normally closing the associated aperture but revealing an illuminated opening when operated, and means under control of operated pawls for automatically selecting a program.

9. In a radio tuning device, station selecting devices, a cabinet enclosing said devices, clock controlled mechanism for automatically operating said selecting devices, a series of pawls for controlling said mechanism, said pawls being arranged in rows and columns, a stationary frame for holding said pawls adjacent the cabinet, 2. row for each station and a column for each interval of time of station selection, and means for adjusting said pawls to operative position and thereby disclosing coincidingly arranged openings in the cabinet through which visual indications are displayed of the stations and times selected.

10. In a radio tuning device, station selecting devices, a series of pawls arranged in horizontal and vertical rows, means for adjusting certain of said pawls to an extended operative position, a movable tuning member adapted to be controlled by said pawls and to actuate said selecting devices variable extents of movement to select various stations, and clock controlled means for moving said member uniformly in a horizontal direction and periodically in a vertical direction, the extent of movement depending on cooperation of said member with an extended pawl.

11. In a radio receiver, a tuning member, means for urging said tuning member towards a normal position, means for operating said member automatically in accordance with predetermined station selections, means for manually adjusting said member, a release key which when operated cooperates with said automatic means to disconnect it from said tuning member, a frictional holding means adapted to cooperate with said tuning member, and means under control of said key for clamping said frictional means on said tuning member to hold said member impositively from going back to normal when disconnected from said automatic means, but subject to adjustment by said manual means.

12. In a program device with timing mechanism, a stationary indicating panel, station selection pawls mounted adjacent said panel, means for making certain of said pawls effective for selection, individual indicating means under control of said pawls for indicating by illumination on said panel a plurality of stations selected and the associated times of selection, means under control of each pawl for disabling the related indicating means when the pawl is ineffective, and movable station selecting devices operable under control of said pawls and said timing mechanism for selecting a plurality of predetermined stations at predetermined times.

JOHN W. ARMIBRUSTER. 

